Dr Diane Scutt, University of Liverpool, Matt Ward from IRS and Eric Ofori, lecturer at the University of Ghana.
Eleanor Sheath catches up with Dr Diane Scutt, Director of Postgraduate Research at the University of Liverpool about her workshops for radiography staff and students in Ghana.
How did the trip come about?
I have a Ghanaian PhD student, Eric Ofori, who also lectures in physics to student radiographers at the School of Allied Health, University of Ghana. We went out to Ghana to do some fieldwork, together with a medical physicist Matt Ward from Integrated Radiological Services (IRS). His thesis is on developing a quality assurance system for diagnostic imaging in Ghana, they currently don’t have one.
What were the aims?
We delivered two workshops, one to all staff and key stakeholders in imaging and one to student radiographers. Ghana now has a radiography degree programme which is in its third year of operation.
The aim of both workshops was to introduce the concept of quality assurance, to share ideas about how this could be developed for Ghana, and to establish a model for a quality assurance system for diagnostic imaging in country. In addition, I also talked to the students about professional development and the changing role of the radiographer.
What stage is the profession at in Ghana currently and how do you think partnerships like this help?
In a nutshell, it has many enthusiastic staff who are keen to establish a quality service but no systems and structures in place to take QA forward.
Much of the equipment is dysfunctional due to lack of maintenance contracts and management inertia at all levels and there are many untrained workers who have been in the system for years. There are major quality issues at every level but I do anticipate this will change as the new graduates filter into the system. They’re a great bunch and really thirsty for new knowledge and experiences. Partnerships are highly motivating and really keep people’s enthusiasm going when the 'system' is trying to sabotage it!
At the workshop for staff we actually formed a national QA working party with a member from each of the ten regions in Ghana, co-ordinated by Eric Ofori. They are all going to undertake reject analysis within the next month and this will be the first activity to contribute directly to the QA model.
How can students in the UK get involved?
I am a patron of the newly formed Ghanaian Students Radiographers Society and it would be great if we could link the students there with students in UK. There are a variety of ways in which students here could get involved. At one end of the spectrum students can establish email contact, Facebook and sharing ideas or giving support. At the other end of the spectrum there is the possibility of electives out in Ghana, and why not!?
What will this project do for Ghanaian students?
It would be tremendously supportive for Ghanaian students. They are working under very different conditions to here, have limited resources and have to deal with the issues outlined above. Their clinical placements are mainly undertaken at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra and there is a log jam here because they now take approx 25 Students per year and at time of writing there were eight rooms there, three of which were functioning. You get my drift…
How will involvement benefit UK students?
It would broaden their horizons and give them an understanding of the very different student issues in developing countries. They could become involved at several different levels if they wished but I know that the Ghanaian students would be thrilled to have regular contact with UK and if students wanted to do electives out there I’m sure this could be arranged through my contacts out there.
Email for more information.
See the SoR student website for the full report.
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